The University's long-term research goals are to strengthen all science departments and become one of the best regional universities in the United States. The Advisory Committee supports and affirms the expansion of the RIMI program to include other science departments and the recently approved School of Pharmacy. The expansion of the RIMI program will allow the University to develop Ph.D. programs. Texas A&M University-Kingsville and Texas A&M University in College Station are in the initial stage of discussion of a joint Ph.D. program. The NIH/RIMI program will allow the University to achieve its long-term goals in a shorter period of time by hiring faculty that will have the resources to write competitive grants. Once the School of Pharmacy is fully establish the University can start planning for an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in biological sciences. The overall goals for the new RIMI program have not changed but a priority was set to expand into other areas of science. The University has identified the Departments of Psychology/Sociology, Animal and Wildlife Sciences, Biology, Chemistry, NTRC, and the School of Pharmacy as those areas that will be strengthened over the next 10 years.